Crime
Heavy police presence at St Clair Walmart after reports of incident
UPDATE: This appears to be an isolated incident involving only two individuals. The shooter is now in custody, and no injuries have been reported.
On Sunday afternoon, police and emergency responders were actively managing an incident at the St. Clair Walmart.
As of 4:00 p.m., fire police had blocked the entrance to the Coal Creek Commerce Center, directing all traffic away from the area, particularly at the intersection of Route 61 and Terry Rich Boulevard.
A customer at the scene reported being near the self-checkout area when she heard a loud noise that sounded like a pallet crashing to the ground.
Immediately following the sound, store employees urgently instructed customers to abandon their items and exit the store.
Currently, no additional information about the nature of the incident has been provided, and authorities are continuing to secure the area and direct traffic.
Updates will be available as more details are released regarding the nature and scope of the incident.
Crime
15-year-old Kenwon Van Pelt found shot dead inside home at Englewood neighborhood
No suspects are in custody at this time, and the investigation remains active.
CHICAGO, Dec. 3, 2024 – A tragic incident unfolded today as 15-year-old Kenwon Van Pelt, affectionately known as “Lil Kso” by his family and friends, was fatally shot inside his home.
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) received a call reporting a person shot around 11:35 a.m. at the intersection of Marquette and Parnell.
Officers arrived to find Kenwon in his bedroom, seated in a chair, with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
While CPD has not disclosed further details about the case, investigators are searching for a group of teens who were reportedly inside the home with Kenwon at the time of the shooting.
Witnesses suggest the group fled the scene, leaving the doors open. Evidence collected from the scene includes a single shell casing in the bedroom, a live round discovered in the nearby alley, and a cellphone found close to the residence.
No suspects are in custody at this time, and the investigation remains active.
CPD Area 1 Detectives are urging anyone with information about this case to come forward. Anonymous tips can be submitted at CPDTIP.com, or individuals can contact the 7th District police station directly at (312) 747-8220.
This tragic loss marks the second fatal shooting of a teenager within 12 hours in Chicago, following a separate mass shooting.
This devastating pattern of gun violence continues to claim young lives and leave communities in mourning. As bloodshed escalates, families and neighborhoods are being torn apart.
“We must address this crisis head-on,” community leaders and advocates have reiterated. “If we, as parents and members of the community, don’t step up, we will continue to lose our children to the senseless violence that plagues our streets.”
The loss of Kenwon Van Pelt underscores the urgent need for collective action to protect Chicago’s youth and end the cycle of violence.